Wendy Perrin

Wendy is the founder and editor of WendyPerrin.com. She is also TripAdvisor’s first-ever Travel Advocate, sharing her advice with TripAdvisor’s visitors. Formerly, as Condé Nast Traveler’s Director of Consumer News and Digital Community, Wendy wrote the magazine’s travel advice column The Perrin Report for 17 years, The Perrin Post blog for eight years, and The Perrin Postcard newsletter for four years. She started out long ago as the magazine’s Ombudsman, investigating reader complaints about travel companies and helping wronged travelers get compensation, and that led to her book Wendy Perrin’s Secrets Every Smart Traveler Should Know (Fodor’s).

It's no secret that a long flight in coach can test the nerves and torture the body of even the most seasoned traveler. But I find that a few small accessories—well worth the space they occupy in my carry-on bag—can boost my comfort, and reduce my stress level, considerably. Even with these six little luxuries, you won't mistake your seat for first-class, but every little bit helps.

If you think you know all the tips and tricks to avoid a travel snafu, think again—even the smartest travelers can lose valuables thanks to an unexpected checked bag, or have a passport mishap at the last minute. Read on for how to avoid those traps, as well as other common mistakes that even the smartest travelers make time and time again.

As happens to any monument that spends 125 years as one of the world’s biggest tourist magnets, the crowds and lines have grown formidable. Here's a few Eiffel Tower tips on how to get the most out of your visit—including my favorite way to bypass the lines.